USI: IRELAND’S STUDENT MOVEMENT

This is an early beta of our new website. Nothing has been lost from the old site. Feedback? 📧

This is an early beta of our new website. Nothing has been lost from the old site. Feedback? 📧

News

Mar 5, 2024

What we’ve done with the website

We updated the USI website in late February 2024. Good bits It's now fully mobile responsive, has an improved UX and UI and exceeds contrast standards for visual impairment. It's way faster and uses half the bandwidth it did before It incorporates our most active social media content Less good bits It's not yet fully screen reader friendly (it works but it's irritating to use) but we're working on this as a critical priority. Bad bits It's...

Feb 19, 2024

Initial Nominations for USI Executive Team 2024

President Clifford, Chris (Union of Students in Ireland) MTUKSU; TUSSU; ATUSUD; CMLOG; NCADSU; TCDSU; TUDSU; ATUSUGM; DCUSU; MSU; UCCSU Crossen, Eoin (Dublin City University Students' Union) MTUCSU; QSU; TCDSU; ATUSUD; MTUKSU; NCADSU; TUDUS; TUSSU; IADTSU; DCUSU; CMLOG; NCISU; UUSU; MSU; UCCSU Jordan, Brian (Technological University Dublin Students' Union) TUDSU; MSU Re-Open Nominations (Obligatory Alternative) Vice-President for Academic...

Feb 15, 2024

TCDSU protest, supported by the USI, demands Government action on student accommodation, mental health and cost of living

TCDSU and USI officers occupy the Department of Further and Higher Education offices A Trinity College Students’ Union-organised protest, supported by the Union of Students in Ireland, today (Thursday, February 15) is demanding Government action on issues that are leaving students in crisis. TCDSU, USI and Trinity students are assembling at Front Square at 11.11am this morning and march to the Department of Further and Higher...

Feb 14, 2024

Student Digs: National Survey 2023 report published

Students and homeowners renting out rooms both feel more secure and comfortable when there is a written agreement between the parties, according to the findings of Student Digs: National Survey 2023, published today by the Union of Students in Ireland. The research carried out among students that currently, or recently, lived in digs found that 66 per cent of the respondents have a written contract with the homeowner and that in 68 per cent...

Jan 25, 2024

“Government engaging in smoke and mirrors in relation to student accommodation” – USI

Government is engaging in smoke and mirrors in relation to student accommodation by announcing and reannouncing the same ‘news’ and ‘policies’ without any concrete plans or information, according to the Union of Students in Ireland. Last Friday, Minister Simon Harris, Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister Pascal Donohoe held a publicity event in DCU and sent out press releases stating that they would “unveil plans for 500 student...

Jan 24, 2024

Protest at Leinster House in support of Social Democrats motion calling on Ireland to join ICJ case against Gaza genocide

The Union of Students in Ireland is calling on students and members of the public to join a demonstration outside Leinster Housing this evening (Wednesday) to support a Dáil motion calling for Ireland to support South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice against the genocide in Gaza. USI has co-organised the protest at 5.30pm today, along with the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and other civil groups, to back the motion...

Dec 20, 2023

Expansion of apprenticeship places positive, but must come with supports and resources

The recent announcement by Government that it is providing €17 million to expand apprenticeships across the higher education sector is positive, but the sector should not be expanding without the necessary supports, says the Union of Students in Ireland. USI believes that apprenticeships are an important way of opening up access to third level education to more potential students and should be put on an equal footing with other avenues into...

Dec 19, 2023

‘Important and needed’ mental health funding still leaves student services below recommended levels

Funding for student mental health services announced by Minister Simon Harris on Monday still leaves Ireland far off the internationally recommended ‘safe and ethical’ ratio of students to counsellors, says the Union of Students in Ireland. While any funding for student mental health services is important and needed, USI says we must consider the actual services being provided to students, who have been shown time and time again to be, as...

Dec 7, 2023

USI backs calls by disability activists for the Government’s Green Paper on Disability Reform to be scraped

The Union of Students in Ireland is backing calls by disability activist groups for the Government’s Green Paper on Disability Reform to be scraped and disabled people to be directly involved in preparing future plans. USI members attended today’s protest at Dáil Eireann organised by Neuro Pride Ireland, and the union is completely opposed to the changes that disability groups say will not help break down the barriers that face people trying...

Dec 5, 2023

USI backs TUS SU campaign to stop university management removing student space

Actions by management in the Technological University of the Shannon to take a dedicated student space away from the Students’ Union will affect their ability to look after the welfare of their students and should be stopped, says the Union of Students in Ireland. Without notice or discussion, TUS SU was informed that university management is taking away the student space on the Athlone campus that is currently used by the Students’ Union to...

Register to Vote

USI believes that every student should be registered to vote in elections.

€500 in prizes to be won: USI Accommodation & Commuting Survey

Comhdháil 2024

Congress 2024 in Sligo from 25th to 28th March 2024

Q of the Week

USI normally runs election hustings on campus. Why not this year?

In fact, USI runs only one official hustings event for its elections – the one which takes place at USI Comhdháil. Other hustings are run by SUs.  The complete answer is on the USI Comhdháil website

WHAT IS USI?

We’re the representative organisation for students in third level education on the island of Ireland. We represent the interests of more than 360,000 students in 24 colleges, North and South.

Coiste Gnó / Executive team

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?

There are many ways to get involved in USI. Ask your Students’ Union for information about our events and our campaigns to play your part in your island-wide union.